1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to text processing systems and more particularly to a method of typing in which whole words or phrases are typed via a keystroke consisting of several simultaneous keypresses and/or a sequence of keypresses.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Stenotyping is a well known method of capturing very rapid speech. By using phonetic abbreviations for syllables and other abbreviations called "arbitraries" for common words, stenotypists can type words by simultaneously pressing keys on a steno machine keyboard. The keypresses are captured on either paper tape, magnetic tape or in a computer memory.
Another well known method of quickly entering text into a computer memory is programmed into the BASIC program of the IBM Personal Computer. By pressing and holding a special shift key and then pressing a second key, the word associated with the second key can be entered into the computer memory. More generally, there exist programs called "keyboard enhancers" which permit a user to define "macros", which are sequence of keypresses to which other longer sequences of keypresses are associated. By typing the shorter sequence, the longer sequence can be entered into the computer memory.
Furthermore, the U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,070 discloses a text entry system for a computer which permits the entry of multiplecharacter words by pressing an individual key on a specially designed keyboard. The keyboard includes a separate "stroke saver" key which, while depressed, invokes the word entry mode. When the stroke saver key is not depressed, the keyboard operates as a conventional keyboard for the character by character entry of text.
Except for direct stenotype entry into a computer, these known text entry systems operate in two distinct "modes": (1) a macro mode in which a word, phrase or command is entered into the system upon typing either a single key or two keys together, and (2) a normal typing mode in which an individual character is entered by typing a single key. Unless special function keys are provided for the direct entry of linguistic expressions, the user must always keep track of the instantaneous mode of operation and press or release appropriate keys to switch back and forth from one mode to the other.